Mixed Messages
by HermioneGurl89
Summary: It's the trio's sixth year. Both Hermione and Ginny are starting to realize that they may have feelings for people very close to them. Problems ensue. This is my first fanfic! Please read and review.


**Awakening**

Sirius was falling….Slowly, but still falling. Hermione rushed forward to help him. She was too late, but just before he disappeared behind the veil Hermione noticed that it was wasn't Sirius that was falling…….._it was Ron!_ "Ron!!!!!!!" she yelled. Then, suddenly, someone began to shake Hermione. She began to fight back. "Stop, stop, we've got to save him."

Hermione opened her eyes. Ginny was standing over her. "Hermione, what's wrong?" Ginny asked with concern.

"Nothing, go back to sleep Gin. I was just having a bad dream…that's all."

"Okay…..maybe you ate too much at the feast. Sometimes indigestion can do that to you. Let me know if you need anything."

Hermione looked out her window. The clock said 2 a.m. She shivered. She'd been having that dream all summer. Now, on her first day back at Hogwarts she'd had it again. She couldn't imagine why. She hadn't even been there when Sirius died. She'd been unconscious. Harry had told her about it later. And why did she keep seeing Ron's face in place of Sirius? I mean, sure, Ron was one of her best friends, but that was all, right? Hermione wasn't so sure anymore. 'Maybe,' she thought, 'just maybe I care for him as more than a friend. She didn't know. For the first time in her life, Hermione was…confused. The clock now read 2:30. 'Bloody hell,' she thought, 'I've got an 8:00 Arithmancy class tommorow. I'd better get some sleep.'

Ginny looked up. Hermione had finally gone back to sleep. Ginny sighed. She got up, put on her robe and her slippers, and went down to the common room. She hadn't had a proper night's sleep since Harry had come back to the Burrow that August.

All through her 1st and 2nd years at Hogwarts Ginny had harbored a very strong crush for Harry, but in her 3rd year Ginny had given up on Harry. It was obvious that Harry only viewed her as his best friend's little sister and besides, he had liked Cho. Ginny had gone to the Yule Ball with Neville. It wasn't that Neville wasn't a very sweet boy, he just wasn't Harry. And anyways, Neville said himself that he'd only asked her as a friend. Then she'd gone out with that Michael Corner. What a mistake that was! She'd wasted almost her whole 4th year on him. Then Dean Thomas had asked her out and she'd figured "Why not? He likes me doesn't he?"

But then, they all went through that ordeal at the Ministry and Ginny had known she still had feelings for Harry. He was brave and kind, and oh, who was she kidding? She didn't even need to explain why. The fact that he was Harry was enough. And when Harry had returned to the Burrow that summer…..He was ten times better looking than ever before. Ginny had realized that she couldn't deny it any longer….she was in love with Harry. She'd broken up with Dean just that evening. "Oh, this is hopeless," she complained aloud.

"What's hopeless?" a voice behind her asked.

Ginny jumped. It was Harry. She'd been so enwrapped in her thoughts she hadn't noticed him coming down the stairs. "Oh nothing," she lied, "Trying to sleep, that's all."

"I know, " Harry whispered, "I haven't slept since….since.." His voice broke.

"You don't have to say it Harry. I know." Ginny had felt sad after Sirius' death, but she couldn't imagine Harry's devastation. He had lost the last semblance of family he'd had when Sirius died. "Well, goodnight Harry."

Ginny was already halfway up the stairs and she didn't hear Harry's whispered reply:

"Goodnight then, Ginny, dear."

The Green Eyed Monster 

The next morning Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Ron and Neville were all sitting eating breakfast when Dumbledore stood to make an announcement.

"Good morning everyone! I trust you all had a pleasant welcome back feat last night. I would like to announce that the staff and I have decided that in order to lighten the tension many of you have regarding Voldemort's return we are going to have a welcome back dance on Friday. Dress robes are of course required. Thank you."

"Lighten the tension, "Neville squeaked, "The thought of finding a date heightens it."

"No kidding," muttered Harry.

"Well," said Ron as he stuffed more food in his mouth, "I'm going to ask someone right now, so I don't get stuck with scraps like at the Yule Ball."

"Hmmmph," sniffed Hermione.

"I'm going to ask Lavender," said Ron, "Have you seen her Harry? She, um, grew quite a bit this summer if you know what I mean and…wow, she is wicked hot!"

Hermione slammed her fork down and stood up. "I'm going to the library to write a letter to Viktor." She glared at Ron and stormed away.

"What's wrong with her?" mumbled Ron through a mouth full of food.

"Well," said Harry, "you were rather, er, blunt. She was probably offended by what you said."

"Offended?!!" said Ron, "Well, she shouldn't be. She should realize that I'm a sixteen year old boy. And what's writing a letter to Vicky got to do with anything anyway?"

Ginny snorted into her plate. Her brother was so blind!

Ron ignored her. "Hey Harry," he said, "You should ask Loony Lovegood. She's rather fond of you."

"I don't know who I'm asking yet," said Harry. He turned to Ginny, "I suppose you'll be going with Dean?"

Ginny got a queer look in her eye. "We broke up…..I-I gotta go get my books." Ginny got up and walked away as quickly as possible.

Harry and Ron stared after her.

"Broke up?" asked Ron, "He's all she talked about all summer."

Harry shrugged, "Things change."

"Girls," muttered Neville.

Thoughts 

Ginny got out into the hall and began to run. She hadn't been able to stop thinking about Harry: his jet black hair, his emerald eyes, his bravery, his loyalty, and his sacrifice for his friends. It was too much to bear. She knew she had no chance with him, but she couldn't help it. She loved him. Why had he asked her who she was going to the dance with? Why should he care? She was Ron's little sister. That's all she was to Harry and all she'd ever be. Right? Ginny began to cry. She sobbed her way through the Gryffindor porthole and flopped down in front of the common room fire to have a good cry.

Hermione was lying on her bed sobbing. She couldn't believe the way Ron was acting. She'd never known him to be so crude. Sure Ron was lacking in tact, but the comment he'd just made about Lavender was out of character….even for Ron. "Why was he acting this way?" she wondered. "Is it just the hormones of a sixteen year old boy." Somehow Hermione doubted it. She wished Ron knew how much it hurt her when he talked about another girl the way he just had.

She'd only made that comment about Viktor to make Ron jealous. Hermione hadn't even written Viktor since last year. They'd both decided that the distance and the age difference was too much. Hermione screamed into her pillow. It was too hopeless to think about. Ron didn't know how much she cared and he never would.

She'd began to think of everything she loved about him: his red hair, his lack of tact, all the times he'd made her laugh, his undying devotion to his friends, that time in their first year when he sacrificed himself in order to let Harry and her go on. The more she thought about him the more she fell in love with her best friend. She wanted to kiss him…passionately and for a long time.

She clung to her pillow whispering, 'I love you Ron.' She knew she'd miss Herbology, but she couldn't face Ron with her eyes all red and puffy. Hermione drifted off to sleep in a sea of red hair hearing his silly laugh.


End file.
